Jared Kushner’s Puck Building Plans Still Too Ugly

Donald Trump’s son-in-law and New York Observer owner Jared Kushner was rebuffed today for the second time by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which ruled that his plan to add a residential penthouse to the Puck Building is an eyesore. "It’s too tall, it’s much too visible and what you see is too aggressive," remarked one commission member. The executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation is of the opinion, meanwhile, that the neighborhood staple on Houston and Lafayette Street "should not be sacrificed for a wealthy developer’s passing fancy to add an enormous and unnecessarily visible penthouse addition on top." Kushner’s company responded through gritted teeth in a statement: "We look forward to continuing the conversation." In an example of the 1 percent not getting everything they want, at least not expediently, even with connections, it’s worth noting that Kushner’s primary architect was previously the chairwoman of the LandmarksCommission.